Schwartz’s clutch trey enables Indians to outlast Mustangs in overtime, win MVIT championship

MENDON, Ill. — Everyone in the gymnasium knew sharp-shooter Blake Schwartz was going to take the shot with the Payson Seymour boys basketball team down three points in the final seconds of regulation, but it was up to his teammate, Nick Boone, to get him the ball.

“Boone did a great job of being there and being calm with the basketball, making a great pass to him,” Indians coach Tyler Duschinsky said.

Schwartz side-stepped his defender, got a slither of open space to get a good look at the basket, and drained a 3-pointer to send Monday’s MVIT championship game to overtime tied at 56. 

Once it went in, Boone felt his stomach growl.

“To be honest, I was about to throw up,” Boone said.

Luckily, Boone held his dinner as Payson fended off Unity in overtime to win 64-62 claiming the Mississippi Valley Invitational Tournament title for the second time in the last three years and eighth time since 2011. 

“I think it’s huge,” Duschinsky said after his team won three games in four nights and improved to 6-6. “We struggled early (in the season) just because our schedule was absolutely difficult. But I thought it built that toughness that we needed and that we showed tonight.”

Schwartz, who had a team-high 25 points including 17 in the second half and overtime, not only hit the buzzer beater at the end of regulation, but also hit the go-ahead basket in the extra period.

“It feels amazing,” Schwartz said as the Indians avenged a 58-57 loss to the Mustangs in Mendon on December 13. “But I didn’t do it by myself. It was a team response, and we were ready to go.”

Duschinsky expected nothing else from Schwartz, who was named the tournament’s MVP. 

“He’s a winner. He’s a competitor,” Duschinsky said. “I think if you watch the entire game, he’s being physical on both ends of the floor. He’s not just an offensive player. He guarded tonight. I don’t know how many times that I saw him on the floor because he was just boxing his guy out physically. He really sacrificed as well as the rest of our kids did.”

Unity (10-5) had a foul to give in the final seconds of the fourth quarter and the intent was to commit the foul before Schwartz could launch a three.

“The idea was that we were going to try to foul before he got the shot off,” Mustangs coach Keith Carothers said. “(Schwartz) started to come off of that hand-off, and then just backtracked, and (Unity guard) Sawyer (Allen) had already committed to getting the foul and tried to reach out and then the kid was gone, and he’s too good of a shooter give him any space whatsoever.”

The see-saw affair was tied at the end of the first quarter (14-14) before Payson built a 28-24 lead at halftime. The Indians opened things up and led 47-40 going to the fourth quarter. But the Mustangs battled back and eventually took a 54-53 lead on an Adler Gray three-point play in the final minute.

“Great play by Adler,” Carothers said. “But I think all the stops that we were able to kind of build up getting to that point was probably more important.”

Allen, an all-tournament selection, scored a game-high 27 points, while Gray added 18 to pace the Mustangs.

Payson’s Lane Barker contributed 18 points, including two key free throws to make it a two-possession game in overtime, and Boone had 10 points and grabbed eight rebounds.

Duschinsky was particularly pleased with Boone, who continues to improve night in and night out.

“He has worked his tail off to get in shape this year, and it is paying off big time, not only for him, but for us,” Duschinsky said. “I think that just shows how hard these kids are willing to work to be successful.”

Boone’s double-digit performance was a career best.

“It definitely boosts my confidence because last year was my first year ever (playing) basketball,” Boone said. “I’m starting to dribble it more confidently and trusting my shot.”

Collectively, the Indians have won five out of their last six games following a 1-5 start to the season.

“We got to get better, and mentally, we got to understand that we did things well, and we have to build on those small things,” Duschinsky said. “I think that’s what we’re starting to do. We’re starting to build on small things throughout the game that will help us win at the end.”